Abandoned September 15, 2011

The idea of once thriving towns that succumb to desertion intrigues me on many levels. Who comes in the first place, what drew them, what caused them to leave, what’s left? The what’s left is obviously a draw for others, too. I love Dark Roasted Brew website especially for their series of abandoned places. This one is a Disney island like the one in Disneyland’s Frontierland. Tom Sawyer Island?

What great speculation that Disney walked away because of brain eating amoeba or real man eating alligators! Those aren’t quite sufficient but they make great story ideas. I turn to mystery rather than sf for those stories, btw.

Or YA. Imagine yourself as a kid who discovers an island like this. It’s all yours to explore. If kicking around an entire ghost town could be cool, this is light years better.

When I was a kid there was a house down the street that had collapsed or was being demolished, though I suspect even then real demolition could take place in a day like it does now, leaving only an empty lot. We’d get down under the main floor and explore. Somewhere along the way a security guard came along to keep us out. Yeah, right. It made for even more fun, exploring this derelict house *and* avoiding the hapless guard. Eventually the house was completely demolished and hauled off to make way for a Circle-K (an early day 7-11). The house was more fun.

Maybe it is the thrill of finding something that makes all this interesting to me. Not sure what “something” might be and in that lies the appeal.